Civil society groups under the platform of the Action Group on Free Civic Space, have demanded that the Nigerian government reverse it’s decision on the ban of Twitter.
The Nigerian government banned Twitter on June 4 after the microblogging app deleted a tweet of President Muhammadu Buhari on June 2 which the internet giant describes as a violation of it’s terms of service.
At least 13 civil society groups demanded that the government reverse it’s decision or face legal fireworks, including street protest.
Executive Director of Rule of Law Advocacy and Accountability Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, tells TheNiche in a telephone interview that the civil society would have to do everything legal to resist this draconian decision.
Arising from a virtual meeting, the Action Group says the Nigerian government did not only commit a gross and reprehensible attack on the freedom of expression of millions of citizens, but poses a great danger to internet freedoms and the civic space in Nigeria.
“The decision to suspend Twitter’s operations in Nigeria comes days after Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari’s genocidal tweet – that subtly threatened to crush a section of the country (Southeast) Nigeria – was deleted for violating Twitter’s community standards. Large numbers of Nigerians reported the tweet which was widely perceived to be hateful, abusive, and incitingl against the Igbos, the predominant inhabitants of the south-eastern region of the country.
“Contrary to the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s claim accusing Twitter of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”, many Nigerians on Twitter have strongly condemned the hasty decision of the government to suspend Twitter operations, calling it nothing but a retaliation against Twitter’s deletion and cautioning of the government against the use of hate speech and inciteful words.
“President Buhari’s disposition towards civil liberties, including the current suspension casts doubts on the claims that he is now a reformed democrat. No known democratic head of government that have been sanctioned by Twitter ever took this tyrannical route. At the height of his contestations with the mainstream and social media platforms, former US President, Donald Trump, never suspended any social media group let alone block their business operations in the country.
“The Action Group on Free Civic Space therefore demands the Nigerian government to rescind this suspension to save the democratic image and credentials of Nigeria which at the moment is currently battered by several reports of assaults on democratic freedoms well documented on the Closing Spaces Database – www.closingspaces.org. Rather than embark on a vengeful mission against Twitter, we advise the Government to reflect and review its language of communication to citizens to avoid a repeat of such regrettable occurrence in future,” the group says.
The organisations that signed the statement are;
*Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre*
*Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development*
*Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative*
*Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre*
*Centre for Advancement of Development Rights*
*Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre*
*Spaces for Change|S4C*
*Citizens’ Solution Network*
*Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights*
*Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation*
*Ace & Vanguard Legal Practitioners*
*World Impact Development Foundation*
*Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria*
